Featured Project : Katrina Animation Collaboration

Very soon after Hurricane Katrina and Rita pounded the areas of New Orleans some 10,000 displaced students were taken in by East Baton Rouge Parish schools. This sudden increase of population could cause serious problems for any city. However, this is one story that got turned around and against all odds, the city of Baton Rouge gracefully pulled its communities together and created new employment opportunities for people to find their feet with dignity.

In April 2006 funding was secured so ListenUp!, FilmAid International, Louisiana State University and AnimAction got together, and voila! … The Katrina Animation Collaboration was born.

AnimAction led a group of teachers and youth through an animation filmmaking workshop creating opportunities for youth from 7 different schools in Baton Rouge to meet under one roof. They shared their experiences and in a frenzy of productive creativity, they produced 7 animated shorts telling stories about their experiences and how they got through the disaster.

If you attended this workshop, you couldn't help but be touched in your heart and soul with the camaraderie emanating from the new and old communities of Baton Rouge.

The Katrina Animation Collaboration was given a spot light in the Red Stick Animation Festival, produced by the Louisiana State University, where a panel discussed the project and the shorts were screened to a lively and excited audience.

We cordially invite you to watch the youth-produced animated shorts in the gallery. Thank you and we hope you enjoy the show.

Katrina Animation Collaboration : Gallery

Stay Informed And Be Prepared

Channel 2

Monster Storm

Reunited

NO Home

Birds Of A Feather Flock...

Karitas Big Game

Pelican Petes Patch Up

Katrina Animation Collaboration : Testimonials

Theresa Desselles, Theresa Desselles

"My students aren't evacuees but they felt it. I wish we'd had this workshop months ago. What I've learned I can teach for years to come."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Skyler Glasper, 15, Woodlawn High School

"I've learned how to animate and can show my little cousin how to make cartoons when he wants to do it."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Skyler Glasper, 15, Woodlawn High School

"This is definitely something I'd like to do more of. It takes time, but in the end you're gonna like what you see... It wasn't hard to come up with a story about Katrina but it was hard to layout, because you had to consider if you were going to offend someone or hurt someone's feelings. For me personally, it's not hard to talk about because I want to share my feelings with the world."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Skyler Glasper, 15, Woodlawn High School

"I like that they gave us a chance to voice what WE think. Now we can teach the rest of our class how to do this."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Stephanie Griffin, Scotlandville School teacher, New Orleans evacuee

"I think animation teaches you how to think and look at the world. This way we're all sitting around the table sharing. Kids give out their ideas more freely, because it's their work. It builds the relationship between the students and the teachers."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Stephanie Griffin, Scotlandville School teacher, New Orleans evacuee

"Animation is like real life - but with funny characterization. It's a way to approach a serious topic in a fun kind of way. People need closure and need to lighten up. We've been heavy laden for months at a time - we need some of this to lighten up."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Candice Johnson, 17, Istrouma High School

"I couldn't wait to get here - it was great. The best part is watching the final product. It's a long process but in the end you're grateful for it."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Candice Johnson, 17, Istrouma High School

"It's good to have different views and opinions on certain subjects. We didn't even think of some of the topics the other groups are doing."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Sara Schneider, 16, Istrouma High School

"It's been a really great experience. The topic was very relevant because so many people went through it [Katrina] - I went through it. We didn't know whether our house was blown away. It's been really positive to work through it, not fear all your life. I think animation helps give light heartedness to the situation; you need a little bit of comedy in every dark situation. I'm proud of our animation."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Stephen Smith, 16, Baton Rouge High

"The topic was difficult to address in the time period we had. We didn't want to get too sappy with it and say that everything's OK, because it's still not the way it was. We simplified our story to give an honest, not too sappy, but optimistic message... A guy is watching TV and there is lots of destruction from the hurricane on TV. It motivates him to get up and help with the reconstruction."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007

Candice Johnson, 17, Istrouma High School

"Some people need the encouragement, need a smile put on their face about something like this. We're predicting that New Orleans will be rebuilt - will rise again. That's the message of our animation. We're hoping for it."

Added Date: Warning: strtotime() [function.strtotime]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430

Warning: date() [function.date]: It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/animaction.com/httpdocs/function/general.php on line 2430
Aug 22, 2007